The Unseen Past
by Zephyrfox
Summary: This is a rewrite of "Claude's Story". I've brushed it off and shined it up some, and renamed it. I hope everyone that likes that invisible man will enjoy this.


Claude's Story

_Now that this season is over and we still have unanswered questions, I thought I'd look again at Claude's Past. Does anyone remember if they actually called him "Claude" in the flashbacks? I couldn't remember, so I went without naming him when I wrote this. I like to think that's just the name he decided to use when he went on the run. It would be just like him! When I originally thought of this story, I wanted Angel to cast illusions, but then Candice turned up with the ability to use illusion to change her appearance, so I changed it. I was going to change it back with this rewrite, now that we know it's possible for more than one person to have the same power, but ultimately decided to leave her a human lie-detector. I hope I've cleaned the story up a little, and fixed some things noted in the criticism I've received. So, JMK758, this one's for you. There are still unanswered questions, and it still may not make sense to anyone who hasn't actually seen Heroes, but there you go. That's life. Enjoy!_

Claude's Story

_7 Years Ago_

He smiled as she turned, spooning up against him. He dropped a kiss on her temple when she softly whispered "I love you". It was the closest he ever came to returning those three words, and she understood why. He hugged her closer.

"What's the matter?" She yawned.

Burying his face in the crook of her neck he responded, "I don't know what will happen tomorrow."

"Everything will be all right," she said serenely.

He shook his head, sighing; he knew better. He might be able to survive and get away, but if not - if he was very lucky, he would be killed.

As she drifted into sleep, he remembered the events that had led them here.

_14 Years Ago_

He wasn't really paying attention to his partner's ramblings. Really, the man was boring beyond belief, always prattling on about his wife and how she doted on their adopted daughter. Then one thing Bennet said penetrated; the Company could use his wife as leverage against Bennet, but never the little girl - Bennet didn't love her. She was just an assignment.

He considered Bennet's words; he didn't have family (that the Company knew about, at any rate!) and he didn't have a girlfriend or whatever. Should he develop a relationship to make his "superiors" believe they controlled him? He'd have to think about that. He didn't really trust the Company, but he was doing good here. Keeping the dangerous talents locked away, and hiding some of the others. He couldn't be stopped. That would be disastrous and his patron would kill him, let alone the Company!

_12 Years Ago_

He had decided he needed to acquire a girlfriend. Thompson and his superiors were getting suspicious of his activities. There was only so much he could do in the shadows to get the people with harmless gifts hidden away. He needed to make the Company believe they could control him, but he had no luck meeting someone. He and his partner's busy schedule tracking down and detaining people with gifts did not lend itself to meeting women, let alone dating.

He had met Bennet's wife, and played with little Claire. She was a bright young thing, and desperately craved her father's attention and approval. Bennet didn't give it. It frustrated Sandra, who didn't understand how her husband couldn't love the little girl he had brought home. It didn't help that Bennet had the Haitian out a few time to wipe Sandra's memories. Who knew what multiple memory erasures would do?

Bennet (well, Bennet's wife) had invited him to another dinner party. The woman was always trying to do the socially correct thing and he suspected her of having political ambitions for her husband. He had reluctantly agreed to attend although he always felt awkward at these events, trying to pretend that he and Bennet were friends and that he knew anything about the paper business. So here he was, bored out of his mind at the silly people who were chattering away as if what they were saying was of utmost importance. He stood against a wall and watched, brooding, as the other guests circulated.

"There you are!" He jumped as Sandra Bennet came up and clutched his arm. "I've been looking all _over _for you. I have someone I'd like you to meet. She's my friend's cousin, teaching at the high school. She'll be your partner for dinner, so the table will balance. Come on!" Sandra beamed at him as she dragged him over to meet a quiet, mousy looking young woman. "I'll just leave you to get acquainted before dinner. Have fun!" Sandra giggled (she's had a bit too much to drink, he thought uncharitably) and moved in on a small knot of people by the living room.

He looked the girl – well, young woman - over. Dressed nicely, if conservatively. Apt for a teacher, he guessed. A little younger than him. He was suspicious of the introduction, though. Sandra had never introduced him to a dinner partner before. Still, if she was a trap set by the Company, best to let them think he had fallen into it. He smiled at her, determined to be charming. She smiled hesitantly back.

"Sorry about that," she ventured. "My cousin told me that Sandra always gets tense at parties, so she drinks too much… Umm, that's probably not polite, is it?" She glanced up at him, a rueful expression as she bit her lower lip, but her eyes sparkled with humor. He smirked at her, deliberately "sharing a moment". At least she would be interesting to talk to, even if it was a trap.

By the time dinner was over he was hoping she wasn't a trap. She was nice, seemed able to think, and would be excellent camouflage for himself. What the heck, he decided, even if she was a trap, it would be good for the Company to think he had fallen for her.

**The next week, Primatech Paper:**

"Tell me about this girl he's dating." Thompson demanded abruptly during a meeting with Bennet. Bennet blinked at the sudden change in subject. He and his boss had been going over details for the next assignment, capturing another potential firestarter.

"Well, not really dating;" Bennet said, "she's a cousin of a friend of my wife's."

"Hmmm." Thompson considered for a moment. Invisibility was a useful talent, but there were indications this particular wielder might not be reliable, no matter who in the Company vouched for him. "Well, keep an eye on the situation. We might be able to use it to our advantage. If he has a romantic entanglement he'll want to protect her, so he won't turn on us."

Bennet nodded, acknowledging the instruction, then frowned. "Is that really a possibility?" After all, the man was his partner. But if the man turned on the Company it would place Bennet and his newly-pregnant wife (and Claire, whispered a traitorous little voice) in danger.

Thompson shrugged. "It's always a possibility with _them_. They sometimes discover their loyalties shift. It's hard enough for some of the normal agents. After all, they look so much like us." Thompson stopped, and looked Bennet over. "And how are you and your charming wife doing with little Claire?"

Bennet shrugged. "My wife loves her." Very carefully not saying he was beginning to as well. When the time came, and Claire manifested her ability, he would have to turn her over to the Company. It wouldn't do to say that Claire had her daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Neither man was aware of the invisible man observing them. He'd been wrong about the trap, but right about the possibility. He'd keep seeing the girl; make them think he was sweet on her.

_11 Years Ago_

They dated for a while; she seemed to understand him, his jokes and his quirks. He called her Angel, and she sparkled under the attention he paid her, seeing her every chance he got when he was in town. She shed the shy mouse persona and showed her real personality, the lively humor that had intrigued him at the dinner where they met. She didn't press him for details about his many trips, or complain when plans they made fell through for a 'paper emergency'. He'd bring her a plant or an interesting shaped bit of rock or crystal after a trip. She liked growing things, and decorating her apartment – which was becoming theirs, although he resisted thinking of it as that - with knick knacks. She understood that he didn't talk about work and that he was uncomfortable when she said "I love you," and didn't expect him to return the sentiment. He had asked her about it, once.

"Your work doesn't affect me;" she paused, considering her words. "I know you can't tell me about it, but I do wonder what kind of secrets a paper company has!" She continued, laughing, "Do you really have to worry that much about industrial espionage?" She knew full well he lied about his job. That was OK, though. He never once lied to her about their relationship. In fact, he seemed to go out of his way to be honest, which was why he never actually told her that he loved her. "I know I'm falling in love with you," she continued, "I'm happy when we're together. Telling me you love me is something you don't say, but your actions speak to me."

So he smiled at her, and stayed with her even though never told her that he loved her. In short, she was perfect, and he didn't deserve her. He could feel himself falling for her and hated using her as cover but didn't have a choice at this point. He knew Thompson had suspicions about his activities, and who knew when the man would find out that he was hiding talents away instead of bringing them in. At least he didn't really love her, he told himself, just cared about her as a friend.

_10 Years Ago_

He was exhausted; this latest trip had been bad. He was already disillusioned about his job, but this was becoming painful. They had brought in a potentially dangerous talent, an illusion-caster. The poor girl had been so frightened she couldn't keep an illusion going for more than a few seconds. Dangerous? Maybe, with training. The Company would provide that and then she would become "useful". He sighed, opening the bedroom door. His angel lay, innocently sleeping, bathed in moonlight. He couldn't imagine how he had ever thought her to be mousy and plain. She was so beautiful, and he loved her so much. He stopped suddenly, shocked by his thoughts. He didn't love her, he couldn't! His mind began gibbering in panic as he backed out and shut the door quietly. With any luck she hadn't woken, hadn't heard him enter…

He sat in the living room, nursing a tasteless American beer, and shook. He wasn't supposed to love her! What was he going to do? He loved her, he couldn't hurt her. Didn't want to hurt her. The Company could use her against him. He knew that Thompson was getting more and more suspicious. It was getting harder and harder to hide the people with harmless talents, harder to make himself track down the dangerous ones. If they thought he was going to the other side, the company would kill him – or use his angel as leverage. He groaned. He was trapped. What could he do?

By morning he had decided on his plan. He would stay with her, at this point he didn't want to leave her. He'd just let slip to his partner that he was just using her as camouflage. A little uncertainty in certain quarters should keep them both safe enough, right? Not a great plan, but it should do. He looked up and was able to smile at her when she entered the living room, surprised and happy to see him back from his trip.

_9 Years Ago_

They were curled on the couch together, watching TV. She shook her head at one of the political commercials.

"What's wrong, Angel?" he asked, idly playing with a strand of her hair. He had noticed before that she hated politics, and detested political ads.

"I hate those commercials. He's lying!"

"It's politics. Politicians always lie," he countered reasonably, not really thinking about it.

She shook her head, frustrated. "It's not that, I _know_ he's lying. I know when anyone lies or tells the truth. Always."

He stiffened. What? What was she saying? He knew she had little patience for lies, he hated them himself, living a lie at work. This emphasis, though. Why had he never noticed? Was this really a talent?

"Is something wrong?" she asked him, turning in his embrace to study his face.

"No, nothing." He managed to lie, straight-faced.

She frowned. "Don't lie to me. I just told you I always know. The only time you lie to me is about your work."

She was right about that, but - "How do you know?" Oh dear gods, she was gifted, and he hadn't had a clue. Right under his nose – right under the company's nose!

She shrugged. "I just do." Smiled, "I know you love me, even though you don't say it."

He groaned, and held her tight. She was one of _them_! Nightmare scenarios screamed though his brain.

"What is it, what's wrong?" she asked, "you're scaring me!"

He swallowed. He would have to tell her, to show her what he could do, and warn her about the company. "Don't be afraid," he said gently, "sit right here." He got up and faced her as he took a breath, locked his eyes onto hers and faded to invisibility.

She was alarmed but not scared. He had never lied to her about _himself_, and that was important to her. She grinned in relief though, when he faded back into sight. "Claude bloody Raines, you are!" she laughed in a horrible attempt at his accent and speech. "I knew you were there!" she said exuberantly. "You not being there was like a lie and you being there was the truth!" She flung herself into his arms, excited. "I didn't know there was anyone who could do things like that, and you can! Wait'll I tell -" She was shocked when he grabbed her arms tightly, got into her face.

"You can't tell anyone!" he thundered, shaking her. The thought of her ability getting back to the Company left a cold lump in the pit of his stomach. A human lie-detector? They'd never let her go. The thought of him telling her everything he had done made him nauseous. Would she understand?

In the end, his Angel did understand. She was horrified at the thought that there were people out there, people like her, but with gifts that could hurt others. She understood that 'normal' people could be frightened by even the most harmless talents; it was why she never drew attention to her own 'knack', as she thought of it, to know the truth. He told her a little about what he did to get the harmless people away from the Company; he didn't tell her much about what happened to the ones the Company got hold of. She mourned the people he couldn't save, and was glad when he got the dangerous ones locked away. She didn't agree with what the Company did, but she didn't have a better solution. Humans fear what they don't understand, and hate what they fear. If everyone knew there were people with gifts, who knew what might happen?

_7 Years Ago_

He went cold. Anger or fear, he wasn't sure. His partner was going to betray him. He had hoped that Bennet wouldn't. They had been partners for a long time now; the man's daughter was one of 'them'. '_One of us_'_, _his mind murmured traitorously. He had made preparations for this day; he could only hope that everything worked as planned. He still wasn't sure if he could convince his partner to let him go or to kill him if everything went south. He knew what the Company did with people like him, and he wanted no part of it.

**The Bridge:**

Bennet glared at his partner – his former partner – trying to aim the gun at him, trying to make him _shut up_ because he didn't want to do this, didn't want the guilt, this was his _partner_ for the last 7 years! Bennet's hand shook as he yelled at the man. When the gun went off it seemed to startle them both. Almost as soon as blood blossomed on the other man's shoulder he pulled the trigger again, more determined. He was going to do his job. An abdomen shot, as close to center mass as he was going to get with his hand shaking. The other man was leaning against the bridge rail as he faded from view. Did he go over? Bennet went to the rail and looked down at the water. No sign, just the water swirling around the bridge supports. Bennet closed his eyes, trying to hold back the nausea. Why did the man have to turn on them? Why couldn't he have told the truth? And why the hell didn't he say whether it was Claire that he was hiding? Bennet slowly got into his car, heading back to Primatech to report mission accomplished.

He was lying in a pool of his own blood. Bennet should be sure he had gone over the side into the river, that he was dead. Good. At least something was going right. He gasped as pain ripped though him.

"I know you're there." A quiet voice. His Angel. He let himself become visible. She gasped at all the blood, but steeled herself to help him to her car. "I know a clinic where we can go."

"We can't go anywhere we'll get reported," he groaned in pain.

She looked at him sharply. "I know. There's a doctor that gives medical care to illegals. I'm taking you there. He won't report us to anyone."

In the end he nodded tiredly. There was no choice. He couldn't go around with a bullet in the gut, and he couldn't take it out himself.

**1 Day Later:**

They walked together down the street. He was slightly hunched, the damage repaired but not healed. Still painful. He was annoyed; they had to get away, but her stash of money was back at their apartment. Hopefully they would be able to get it and get out. She was worried but didn't touch him in any way. It would look off because he was invisible and she would attract attention for odd behavior.

They groaned when they came in sight of the apartment building. Bennet was there, along with some goons. "What do they want?" she whispered to him. He whispered back, "I don't know, but he's spotted you. It's too late to pretend you haven't seen him, go see what he wants."

She looked nervously at Bennet as he and one of the goons approached. "Have you seen him? He left for work yesterday and never came home!" His angel launched herself at Bennet, metaphorically striking the first blow.

Bennet was confused. That was supposed to be his query for her, to make sure that his partner was gone. Bennet pushed her away slightly, "I was going to ask you that. Are you sure you haven't seen him?"

She shook her head tearfully, "No, I haven't! I'm so worried!"

Bennet was uncomfortable with this, he still wasn't sure if his former partner cared about this girl. Some of the things he had said over the years indicated that he considered her a cover. He wouldn't have told her anything, left her innocent in all this. Bennet had argued unsuccessfully against bringing her in; he felt he owed it to his former partner, whether the man had really loved her or not. But they had to know for sure. Bennet needed to know who the man had been hiding. _Was_ Claire one of the ones that had been hidden from the Company? Who else knew what she could do? Bennet hadn't told anyone that her gift had already manifested. The Haitian couldn't tell anyone why Bennet used his memory-wiping ability on Sandra and now that Claire was older she hadn't gotten hurt badly enough for her ability to work so she had forgotten all about it.

The goon shifted to grab the girl. He had his orders, and Bennet wasn't following them fast enough. She saw his gun and backed away in alarm. Unfortunately she ended up stumbling into the street. Everyone stood still as she fell in the path of a car speeding past.

The invisible man's cry was drowned out by the thud of a body hitting hood, windshield and pavement. Bennet stared in horror, and the goons pressed close. They were disappointed to note their quarry was dying and there were too many witnesses. One of them grabbed Bennet's arm. He shook the man off and knelt by the crumpled body. The driver was in the background, pleading for someone, anyone, to call an ambulance.

"Who was he hiding?" Bennet demanded, "Where is he?"

All she knew was pain, and someone asking her annoying questions. Where was her love? He had been there, before, right? Then he was there. She knew it, but no one else did. Her lips curved in a smile. He was with her. "He's here," she whispered to the annoying voice, "He's taking me into the light…"

Bennet was roughly dragged to his feet by a goon. "We've got to get out of here, now!" he was told. Bennet paused. It sounded like his partner was dead, and perhaps it would be best to act as if it were true; maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't…

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to her and to his partner, "I didn't mean for this to happen."

The invisible man didn't hear. He was kneeling by his Angel's broken body. Unable to hold her, unable to cry. He didn't dare do anything to betray his presence. He was glad that she knew he was there for her right before she died. He glared at Bennet, hating him.

_Present_

The boy had unnerved him yesterday. No one could see the Invisible Man! No had ever known he was there, except for her.

"I know you're there." A voice came from behind him.

Claude turned. It was that boy again.


End file.
